Kunegunda of Poland

Kunegunda "the Usurper" of Poland (2 January 1334-) was the Queen of Poland from 24 November 1342, succeeding Elzbieta of Poland.

Biography
Kunegunda of Poland was born on 2 January 1334, the middle child of King Casimir III of Poland. She was the younger sister of Elzbieta of Poland, who assumed the throne in 1338 when King Casimir died a maimed cripple at the young age of 27. Kunegunda's titles, the counties of Kalisz and Poznan, was usurped from her by the greedy Duke Henryk "the Usurper", and she was left without any land or titles. However, Holy Roman Emperor John the Blind decided to embark on a campaign against Elzbieta, whose marriage to the Lithuanian prince Mantvydas threatened to create a rival empire in the Baltics. Elzbieta fled to the court of Emperor John, who decided to enforce her claim on the throne. He did so by means of military conquest, defeating Queen Elzbieta and forcing her to abdicate on 24 November 1342. Kunegunda usurped the throne with Imperial assistance, and she became known as "the Usurper".